Airline cancels Watson Lake service, says people prefer to drive

It's been less than two years, but Yukon's AlkanAir says its new scheduled service between Watson Lake and Whitehorse is a bit of a bust.

The airline will stop its twice-weekly flights as of September 30.

"There just hasn't been the traffic necessary to have a viable scheduled service," said Alkan presidentWendy Tayler.

When the airline launched the new service in 2016, the hope wasthat it would prove popular with community members, businesses,and tourists who don't want to do the five-hour drive between Whitehorse and Watson Lake.

It was the first scheduled air service to Watson Lake since the 1990s.

But Tayler saidit turnsout that people don't seem to mind the drive.

"We've done some research, and we've found that the Watson Lake community has a great relationship with Whitehorse using ground transportation and they have become very accustomed to that, and it seems to really meet most of their needs," she said.

The announcement comes just weeks after Greyhound stopped its service to Watson Lake and Whitehorse.

Alkan Air's scheduled service will continue on Mondays and Fridays until the end of September. A one-way ticket for the 75-minute flight goes for $325.